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Reviewed by Steven M. Bari Determined to prove the world wrong and win the Yakitate Baking competition, Azuma, Kawachi and Kanmuri are out to make Japan known for the best bread. But they’ve got competition-- and they aren’t normal chefs. Then again, Yakitate isn’t a normal competition. Takashi Hashiguchi’s hilarious adventure of culinary competition is filled with bizarre occurrences, strange characters, and even more bewildering winning dishes. Yet, Hashiguchi brilliantly melds cookbook acuity with good old manga absurdity. Volume 20 has Azuma’s team facing an old competitor in Kawachi, who, due to a lamentable series of events, has become half man, half pig. Yet, Katsuo, the pig-man, is hardly regarded by anyone else as freakish or out of the ordinary (save for jabs at his swine-like stench and homeliness). Still, this is a world where the competition judge somehow transmogrifies time and space to reflect both the struggle of the competitors as well as Japanese wordplay. Of course, all of this is to determine who can make the best pork sandwich. Nonetheless, this utter absurdity is Yakitate’s charm. There are few moments of predictability for such a straightforward premise: three heroes out to win a competition. Naturally, there wouldn’t be a story if they didn’t at least win most or all of these challenges. Yakitate, however, keeps you on the edge of your seat, as suddenly the kitchen and characters are morphed into a parody of another manga, Saiyuki (a retelling of the Chinese tale Journey Into The West), where Kawachi and Katsuo must face each other as Sagojo (a kappa) and Chohakkai (a pig monster). Finally, Hashiguchi’s art is incredible. His crisp, clean style and character design are just surprising for this series’ subject matter. With extraordinary attention to detail, from Katsuo’s award-winning pork sandwich to Kawachi’s muscle definition, Hasiguchi has a grasp on the real as well as the ridiculous. Yakitate vol. 20 may leave you scratching your head at first, but soon you’ll come to understand that anything could happen, including that three Japanese kids can bake the world’s best bread. Think you could have written a better review of Yakitate!! Japan v20? Write us and we'll probably let you give it a shot! --EiC PC |
12 March 2010 10 March 2010
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